Apparatus for producing metal packing



May 1, 1934. J. R. PRICE APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING METAL PACKIN G Filed March 12, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l INII/ENTOR. 3 dumb fi. Pm?

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May 1, 1934. R PRICE 1,956,834

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING METAL PACKING Filed March 12, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

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'V i Patented May 1,1934 r PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING METAL PACKING.

Jacob R. Price, Kansas City,- Mo. Application March 12, 1932, Serial No. 598,385

2 Claims. (01. 18-13) This invention relates to. a metallic packing and" toe. process of andapparatus for producing the same, and has for its principal objects to provide a continuous process whereby the packing is 'easily and economically manufactured, and to.

provide an improved metallic packing wherein an impregnated core is simultaneously covered incidental to the formation of the metal sheathing, so that the sheathing may comprise a continuous tube free from seams through which the impreg-.

nating material might escape.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I employ in my process an apparatus as illustrated in theaccompanying draw- Iings, wherein; u I c Fig. l is a'diagrammatic sectional view of the apparatus with which I carryout my process of manufacturing a metallicspacking.

Fig. 2 isv an enlarged vertical sectional view through the pressure cylinder and the dies" through whichthe metal is being extruded to I ensheath a-compressible core. 9 7

Fig.3 is a horizontal sectional viewthrough the die and adjacent parts of the pressure cylinder on the line 3-3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a' detail perspective view of a portion of one form of packing produced in accordance with my process.

Fig. 5 is a similar view of a different form of packing wherein the core includes a plurality of strands, of packing, as illustrated in Fig. 4, interlaid with a plurality of flax strands to fill the interstices therebetween. Y Fig. 6 is adiagrammatic view of the set-up for s: producing the packing illustrated in Fig. 5.

chamber 2 opening from an end thereof to slidably mount a ram 3 that is operable by. a hydraulic v press indicated by the housing 4. Extending vertically through the body casting and spacedfrom the end of the chamber 2 is a bore 5 having internal threads at its upper and lower ends 6 and 7 to accommodate die carrying nipples 8 and 9, respectively. The nipples constitute tubular sleeves 10 having threaded peripheral portions to engage the threads of the bore, whereby they maybe adjustably spaced to and from each other to position and space the die members later described. The nipples are provided with aligning concentric bores 11 through 557 which a compressible strand and the completed packing are delivered respectively to and from the die members now described.

The lower or core die member 12 includes a cylindrical base portion 13 mounted in a correspending recess 14 in the end of the member 9, the recess '14 being preferablylarger in diameter than the bore 11 to provide an annular shoulder 15 against which the lower end of the die may seat, as best illustrated in Fig. 2. The upper end of the die member is substantially cone-shaped to guide the metal in forming the inner diameter of the packing, and terminates short of the upper die member 16 toprovide an annular passageway 17 therebetween for the extrusion of the forma- X tive metal 18 delivered under pressure to the bore 5 at apoint between theends of the die carrying nipples. g

The upper die 16 is substantially cylindrical in shape and seatsin a. recess 19 formed in theend of the upper member 8, and is provided with a central cylindrical passageway 20 of larger diameter than the packing being formed, the lower end of which terminates in a'contracted throat 21 the metal at all points around the dies.

In order to deliver a plurality of strands 24 through the dies, the lower die member is provided 9 with a passageway 25 extending through the apex of the cone and having internal threads at its lower end to accommodate a conduit 26 through which the strands are guided communicating with a receptacle 27 containing a lubricant through which the strands are drawn. The strands are preferably wound upon spools 28 carried on suitable framework 29 above the body casting 1.

In operating the apparatus, the strands are drawn from the spools and extended through the opening in the bottom of the receptacle 27, through the conduit 26, and through the passageways in the dies. The ram 3 is then retracted and the chamber 2 is filled with molten formative metal through a notch 30. The metal flows from the chamber filling the channels 22 and 23 and the portion of the bore 5 between the dies.

The metal is then allowed to cool and pressure is applied thereto by the hydraulic press through the ram 3 to extrude the metal between the dies, to

form a continuous metal sheathing 31 about the compressible strands. As the metal is extruded, the strands are simultaneously drawn through the lubricant material and through the dies to effect a continuous process. The thickness of the walls of the sheathing may be varied by threading the die carrying nipples to and from each other to vary the amount of metal extruded through the upper die, so that packing of various grades may be provided. l

The packing illustrated in Fig. 5 includes an outer metallic sheathing 33 enclosing a core 34 including a plurality of strands 35 of packing produced as previously described, and interlaid with strands of flax 36 to fill the interstices therebetween. This packing is produced by a similar process as that illustrated in Fig. 1 wherein the strands of metal packing 35 are wound on spools 37 supported by a rack 38 also supporting spools 39 carrying the flax strands 36.

Fromthe spools 37 and 39 the packing and flax strands are drawn through a body of lubricant 40 contained in the receptacle 41, and through a conduit42 to the dies 43 and 44, which are identical to the dies previously described except for their larger size. The strands are guided in proper relation through the die by a plate 45 having apertures 46 for the metal strands and apertures 47 for the flax strands located togive the proper arrangement of the strands as they pass through the dies. The plate 45 is preferably located adjacent the end of the conduit at a point directly below the dies as shown.

Upon actuation of the ram 3, the metal is extruded about the composite core in exactly the same manner as when the .single strands are sheathed, as. illustrated in Fig. 1. a

The impregnating material for the strands 24 may be any suitable lubricating oil, or a mixture of oil and graphite, depending upon the nature and use of the packing.

The formative metal from which the sheathmg is formed may also consist of various soft metalsor alloys as desired. i

From the foregoingit is apparent that I have provided a process which produces a solid, continuous sheathing for the compressible core which will retain the impregnating material until the packing is ready for use.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus of the character described comprising a cylinder having a piston chamber and a bore and having channels communicating with the piston chamber and with the bore through diametrically opposite ports for equalizing pressure in said bore, a pair of nipples adjustably mounted in said bore, die members carried by the nipples, means for guiding a compressible strand through the dies, a piston operable in the piston chamber to apply pressure to a body of formative metal in the cylinder, means for actuating the piston to effect movement of the metal through said channels and into the bore for extrusion through the dies to form a metallic sheath about the strand, and means for adjusting the die members relatively to each other for varying thickness of the sheath about the strand.

2. An apparatus of the character described comprising a. cylinder having a piston chamber and a receiving chamber and having channels communicating with the piston chamber and with the receiving chamber through laterally opposed ports for equalizing pressure in said receiving chamber, a pair of nipples adjustably inserted in opposite ends of the chamber, male and female die members carried by the nipples, means for guiding a plurality of compressible strands through the dies, means for lubricating the strands with lubricant material before their passage to the dies, a piston operable in the piston chamber to apply pressure to a. body of formative metal in the piston chamber, means for actuating the piston to move the metal through the channels and through the ports into the receiving chamber for extrusion through the dies for forming a metal sheath about the strands, and means for moving the male die longitudinally of the female die for adjusting the thickness of the sheath about the strands.

JACOB R. PRICE. 

